Bell 206B accident near Nashoba, Oklahoma, September 25, 2014
On September 25, 2014 at about 3:25 pm local time, a 1978 Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N152CA, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Nashoba, Oklahoma. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's loss of directional control due a loss of tail rotor effectiveness.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 25, 2014 · about 3:25 pm local time
- Place
- Nashoba, Oklahoma · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B, built 1978 · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N152CA · registry record · serial 2342
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After being refueled, the helicopter departed for an aerial application flight. As the helicopter lifted off, the pilot lost directional control of the helicopter and the nose of the helicopter turned right. The pilot confirmed that the throttle was open and after the helicopter turned 180 degrees, he reduced the engine's power to idle, maintained a level attitude, and touched down hard on uneven terrain. The tail rotor contacted a pile of debris resulting in substantial damage to the tail rotor. There were no reported malfunctions or failures which contributed to the accident. The helicopter was estimated to be about 66 pounds over the helicopter's maximum gross weight. In addition, the accident occurred in rugged terrain which likely resulted in an unexpected wind shift during the takeoff. The circumstances of the accident are consistent with the helicopter's loss of tail rotor effectiveness and directional control.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Other weather encounter during takeoff
- Loss of control in flight during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Sudden wind shift › Ability to respond/compensate
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Sloped/uneven › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: balloon; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 27,000 hours in all; 14,000 in this make and model; 275 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 25,750 as pilot in command; 900 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 28, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 18,189.6 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 20, 2014; 96 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 11,402 hours total
- Operator: Chem Air INC
The flight
- Departed from: Nashoba OK at 3:25 pm
- Destination: Nashoba OK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from KMLC, 37 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN14CA525.